For many thoracic operations the patient will be in the lateral decubitus position. The primary physiologic change that takes place on initiation of OLV is the presence of trans-pulmonary shunting, causing impaired oxygenation and occasionally hypoxemia. The degree of shunt is reduced due to the effect of gravity which increases pulmonary blood flow to the dependent lung and it will be further decreased due to a phenomenon termed hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV).